The scent of fear hung heavy in the air, the woman’s terror palpable. Max could taste the adrenaline, the desperation, as if it were his own. And beneath it all, there was the wild, musky scent of the jaguar shifters, a bitter undertone to the sensory overload.
Max’s roar reverberated through the night, a resounding challenge to the jaguars. He pounced, a mix of raw power and primal rage, landing in the middle of the astonished shifters. His growl, a low rumbling thunder, echoed his command to them.Back off.
Max stood protectively between the woman and the shifters, his eyes flashing with the light of a hunter. He held his ground, ready to fight if needed. As the woman shivered behind him, Max steeled himself for the looming confrontation, determined to protect her at all costs.
Beneath the woman’s terror, the gentle night breeze carried another scent towards Max, capturing his attention completely. It was the most captivating scent he had ever experienced, an enchanting blend of wildflowers and something uniquely her. His heart stilled, then resumed beating in a rapid, joyous rhythm.
Mate!His tiger’s voice thundered through his mind as his own realization hit him. This woman was his mate. The knowledge surged through him like a bolt of lightning, igniting an explosion of sheer delight and a profound sense of completeness.
The realization that he had found the other half of his soul shook him to his core. He felt an overwhelming rush of protective affection, joy, and wonder, which made him forget about his current, dire circumstances. For an instant, everything else faded into insignificance.
The woman gasped, her voice slicing through the pounding in Max’s ears. Had she realized it too? His head swiveled slightly to look at her, and the amber eyes of his tiger form drank in the sight of the woman who was tied to him forever more. Her features were bathed in the soft glow of the nearby streetlight, creating a halo-like effect that made her seem ethereal.
She was exquisite. The kind of beauty that was as stunning as it was rare. Her hair, the color of dark chocolate, tumbled inmessy waves down to her shoulders, as wild and untamed as a jungle cat. The strands fluttered in the night breeze, making him itch to run his fingers through them.
Her eyes, wide with fear and shock, were a hypnotic mix of colors—green, blue, and gray, like the surface of a stormy sea. They were stunning, captivating him entirely. Despite the distance between them, he could see the determination simmering in those beautiful eyes, a testament to her inner strength.
Her lips, full and pink, trembled slightly, but he was struck by the courage he saw etched on her face. Her skin was pale, luminescent in the night, a stark contrast to her dark, almost black clothes.
Even from a distance, Max could make out her lithe, athletic figure. She was small compared to him, yet her body was strong and agile, speaking of a raw power that matched his own.
But it was her scent, the most intoxicating aroma he had ever encountered, that hit him the hardest. It was her and everything she was—wild, resilient, and utterly captivating. His pulse raced as the primal call of his mate drew him to her, wrapping him up in a whirlwind of emotion that threatened to consume him.
In those brief moments of stolen glances, Max was utterly and irrevocably ensnared. His mate was all he could focus on. Her image was imprinted on his mind, etching itself onto his soul. Max knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that his life would never be the same again.
Claim mate. Destroy rivals.
Sharp claws dug into Max’s flank, carving a path of white-hot pain through his flesh, as one of the jaguars pounced, punishing his moment of distraction. He howled in agony and fury, thescent of his own blood so strong he could practically taste it.
Wheeling around with a powerful roar, Max lashed out at the jaguar, his larger frame intimidating despite his wound. But he was outnumbered, and the jaguars lunged again. Ignoring the pain that lanced through his body, Max fought back, managing to land a few heavy blows on two of the shifters. They yelped in pain, limping away into the shadows.
He threw his head up and bellowed belligerently at the two remaining shifters, who shared a glance and seemed to realize that the two of them couldn’t beat a full-grown male tiger. After a tense moment, they melted away into the darkness.
Panting, Max kept watch for a few moments longer, his body on high alert. When he was sure the jaguars weren’t coming back, he collapsed to the ground, exhausted and bleeding.
He assessed the wound on his flank. It was deep and blood gushed from it relentlessly. The world around him began to spin, his vision blurring at the edges. Suddenly, the woman—his mate!—was at his side. She whipped off her jacket then pressed it firmly onto his wound in an attempt to staunch the bleeding.
She gazed into his eyes, and a strange mix of fear, awe, and relief reflected in hers. Then she whispered a word that echoed in Max’s mind and heart, a word that was as simple as it was beautiful.
“Mate.”
Chapter Six
Mia
As Mia kneeled next to the tiger, she found herself entranced by the powerful creature that had come to her rescue. She’d never seen a tiger shifter before, and this one was her destined mate. She had a mate. The reality of the situation hadn’t entirely sunk in yet. She was filled with wonder and awe, and her heart pounded with a strange mix of fear and anticipation.
Her hands, trembling slightly, moved over his muscular flank as she worked to staunch the flow of blood. She was no stranger to injuries and blood—she had been raised in a world of violence after all—but the sight of her mate in pain caused a lump to form in her throat.
Our mate protected us,her leopard said, its voice echoing her own awe.
“Hey, big guy, you’re going to be okay,” she murmured, keeping her voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions raging inside her. She felt the tiger’s gaze on her, then turned to meet it, and his amber eyes pierced through the darkness and straight into her soul.
Mia couldn’t help but wonder what he looked like in his human form. His tiger form was both intimidating and awe-inspiring. His gaze, even in this form, seemed to be filled with intelligence and a primal strength that sent shivers down her spine.
A shimmer enveloped the tiger’s huge body as he began to shift back into his human form. Mia watched, wide-eyed, as his fur receded, and his form shrunk and reshaped itself. Within moments, a man lay where the tiger had been—and what a manhe was.
He was magnificent. Taller than most men, his physique resembled a warrior—muscular, powerful, built for both speed and strength. His skin was lightly tanned, a stark contrast to the jet-black hair that was tousled and slightly damp with sweat. His face was ruggedly handsome, with high cheekbones, a strong jawline, and a nose that was perfectly straight.
